For the second straight season, the Twins will finish with more than 90 losses. But, club President Dave St. Peter said, the Twins (66-95) can win their division next year.

"Assuming we do what we're setting out to do, I don't see any reason why we can't be very competitive and, ultimately, win our division in 2013," he said. "I think everybody here believes that. You can turn this thing around quickly.

"Look at where Baltimore was a year ago (last place, 69-93), where Oakland was a year ago (third place, 74-88), where the Cincinnati Reds were a year ago (third place, 79-83). It's obviously going to require us to make good baseball decisions. We're probably going to need to get a little bit lucky. And we're going to need some guys to step up.

"Yeah, it can happen, by all means."

The Twins finished in last place (63-99) in 2011 and, with one game left, are in last place again this season. This season, Baltimore (93-68) and Oakland (92-68) have clinched playoff berths, and Cincinnati (97-64) has won its division.

St. Peter said the Twins will rebuild "piece by piece."

"There's no shortcut to it," he said. "I tend to think the glass is half full vs. half empty. There are still a lot of good baseball players that we have under contract, under our (signing-rights) control. And we obviously need to go out and supplement some things. It starts with pitching."

Before 2011, the Twins had won the AL Central Division six out of the previous nine years.

"Nobody saw 2011 coming," St.

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Peter said. "We came in with high hopes, and it just didn't pan out. I think in 2012 we were a little more cautious coming in."

The last two seasons have been painful for the Twins' front office.

"Excruciating," St. Peter said. "But as difficult as it is for me, I know it's more difficult for (manager) Ron Gardenhire, for the players, for (general manager) Terry Ryan, etc. On some level, we're all fans, and we all feel that pain of losing baseball."

St. Peter said the Twins' problems have not been because of payroll, which was about $100 million this season.

"I don't view it as a budget issue," he said. "If anything, I think budget is an advantage for us today compared to where we were five years ago. I think we have adequate payroll -- I really believe that. I don't think payroll will be the way we'll turn this thing around. I think we'll do it by making good, smart baseball decisions."

It wouldn't be surprising if the Twins promote Tom Brunansky from Triple-A Rochester as hitting coach and Gene Glynn, who managed Rochester this year, as third-base coach while naming one of their longtime major league coaches to an honorary lifetime role with the organization.

Under a sunny, blue-sky day on Tuesday, Oct 2, the Gophers baseball team showed off its bright green and clay-colored artificial turf portion of its $7.5 million, Phase I rebuilt Siebert Field. Coach John Anderson, after whom a part of the ballpark is expected to be named someday, is ecstatic about the outcome.

"I think we got a lot for our money," said Anderson, 57, who is in his 32nd year as head coach. "I think Chief (late legendary coach Dick Siebert) is smiling down at us."

Tuesday's practice was the fourth the Gophers have been able to conduct on the new turf. They hope to have 14 or so more this autumn. The ballpark will have grandstand seating of 1,500 with room for about 1,500 more spectators on grass berms.

Anderson, whose Gophers will play 17 games at the Metrodome early next season, then 17 at Siebert Field and open the Big Ten season April 5 by hosting Ohio State, hopes someday to host a NCAA regional tournament at the new stadium.

Royce White, the former Mr. Basketball Minnesota and first-round (No. 16 overall) draft pick of the Houston Rockets in June, inexplicably missed the Rockets' media day Monday and opening practices Tuesday. Not to worry, a source close to White said Tuesday.

"It's going to be fine," the source said.

DON'T PRINT THAT

Those dozen USA rooters wearing Vikings jerseys and American flags at last weekend's Ryder Cup at Medinah in Chicago were members of Medina Country Club in Hamel and included former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders.

A half-dozen members of the group attended the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla near Louisville, Ky., then the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales to root on the Americans. At Medinah, they got into friendly competition with European fans, trying to outdo their chants with ditties.

"We were trying to be the 13th man," said Jim Kopp, an executive vice president for TN Marketing in Wayzata.

The next Ryder Cup will be at Gleneagles in Scotland in 2014.

"We'll be there, prepping the Euros for coming back to Hazeltine," Kopp said.

Hazeltine National in Chaska will host the 2016 Ryder Cup.

OVERHEARD

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland, asked the difference between his Miguel Cabrera and the Twins' Joe Mauer as hitters: "Cabrera's stronger -- he can hit the ball out of the park to the opposite field probably a little bit better than Joe, although Joe can hit it out to the opposite field. They're very similar in a lot of ways, but strength probably would be the only difference."